With Limbaugh at the top of his game, including a more deeply loyal audience than ever, the numbers were expected to be strong. The beginning of the Obamist era, combined with a direct White House campaign targeting the talk titan, however, provided rocket fuel for El Rushbo's ratings. Even to seasoned industry veterans, this data should prove stunning.

Finally, implementation of the new, far more accurate electronic Portable People Meter (PPM) ratings system has benefited talk radio, as the manual diary-based "phantom cume" problems of the past disappear. For years, programmers complained that the old system cost them listenership and are now armed with the proof they'd long sought.

While these numbers reflect February's results, they could go even higher in March, as the White House anti-Rush effort was still in high gear going into this month.

Some specifics:

In New York City, WABC has experienced huge gains during Rush's noon- 3pm timeslot: from 4.6 to 6.7 overall (12 and older) share, good for first place overall in the nation's largest market. Rush's Big Apple listenership is now estimated at 693,000.

In the second-largest market, Los Angeles, KFI-AM has surged into the number one position (all listeners 12 and older) from 9am to noon, with 618,000 listeners, a 4.6 to 6.0 audience share increase over three months and an even bigger males 35-64 (4.6 to 6.3) move, to take first place there as well.

Chicago, saw another huge move, with Rush affiliate WLS also taking first place during his timeslot (12 and older), from 5.2 share to 6.9 and a total local listenership of 396,700 in the third-largest market.

KSFO / San Francisco saw similar results, despite the extreme-left bent of the Bay Area: 4.7 to 6.0 share, now ranking second overall and with men aged 35-64. Total audience: 346,000.

Houston's results were truly blockbuster: 6.0 to 9.8 overall, ranking number one with a bullet and audience of 382,300. Men 35-64: number one again, from 8.6 to 12.2 over three months. Adults 25-54: first place, 4.6 to 8.7. Women 25-54: 3.7 to 8.3 again good for a top ranking.

DC's WMAL also saw Rush-related growth: 4.1 to 6.7, good for third overall and an audience of 155,300. Men 35-64: number one with a staggering 6.4 to 13.4 move.

In Atlanta, Rush has helped WGST fend off an enormous competitor, WSB-AM, with a similar 4.0 to 6.2 upward move, good for fifth place overall and a total audience of 473,500. The results are better in the male 35-64 demographic, surging from 5.5 to 8.0 share.

Bucking Detroit's recent Democratic voting trend, Rush's performance on WJR-AM has been more significant than ever, moving into first place with a 5.8 to 9.6 jump. Men 35-64: number one and 11.6 share. Total audience: 253,000.

Given this blockbuster data, will the White House think twice before targeting Rush again?

Keep in mind that these numbers don't even include Limbaugh's strongest markets, medium-sized cities such as Reno, Albuquerque, Boise, Fresno, Bakersfield and hundreds of others where his program dominates local radio.

UPDATE: Rush's surge has also led to overall, full-day gains at most of these stations, with WABC/ New York moving into fifth place overall, ahead of many music stations. That's its best showing in at least a year.

26 Comments:

Let's hope that the White House doesn't learn its lesson re talk radio. In that way, the audience for conservative talk can continue to grow, each time the president slams Rush or his fellow broadcasters.

Once people listen to Rush Limbaugh for a certain amount of time they realize he is not the hate mongering, race baiter, kook the left tries to paint him. This effort by the White House may really come back to bite the Dems in the future. Talk radio had a big effect on the 2000 and 2004 election.

Rush, being very passionate and articulate, makes bullet proof arguments about conservatism and what has made this country great. He has also paved the way for many others to stand up and speak out.

They aren't capable of learning lessons...there Statists. Statists don't learn lessons. They will just continue to look for ways to impose laws on the station owners that will make doing business impossible, and they will stick it in the middle of unrated legislation and hope that it doesn't get read.

This is why the Fairness Doctrine is more important than evah! We can't have people listening to a guy who makes sense. Not when we are trying to ram home our socialist agenda and change the fabric our country for the future. Opposition like this, with its logic and reasoning, is not acceptable in the New America. Help us all make sure he taken off the radio!

As a conservative who never listened to Rush due to work conflicts, I started listening after I saw his CPAC speech and could not beleive how well he stated what I beleive. It was scary how much he says that I beleive. And, obviously, I am not the only one.

As far as I am concerned ...Rush Limbaugh is the best thing since sliced bread. My husband and I both listen to him every day and we think he is one...if not the smartest man in the world!!!! He tells it like it is and it is also exactly the way we see things. Rush is first and foremost a Conservative and that is why I like him so much. His CPAC speech was brilliant. Oh by the way, he didn't have to read it from a teleprompter!!!!!

Apparently, The One didn't hear the story about how a runaway Congress in 2003 joined with a socialist-driven Democrat to LOSE CONGRESS in 2004. And who was the 'honorary Member of Congress??'

It will take 15 months for the people to get a shot at changing the balance. Last Nov, every state had local trends which added up to a national trend which ended up tilting our government way, way, way farther than all but 15% were really interested in every going.

Just shows you how important it is that you know whether or not your own Congressman is an idiot-useful idiot-complete tool.

A visit to www.tvbythenumbers.com reveals that on the most recent day on which they have figures, Wednesday March 25th, Keith had 1,238,000 viewers at 8:00 EDST and 771,000 at 10:00 pm EDST...totalling slightly more than 2 million souls (wait a minute, the "soul" is an artifact of conventional religion; make that around 4 million eyeballs, considering the possibility of a certain percentage of viewers being blind in one eye. Their glasses are ready in 30 minutes).

This is for those who live in areas with no access via standard AM/FM or satellite radio to Rush Limbaugh and other conservative radio talk hosts.

If you have an internet connection and a media player, you can listen to the shows over the internet. Below are some URLS for listening to various talk show hosts using Windows Media Player and Winamp -- either player will work. (Be sure to copy the entire URL):

Rush may have a heavy hitting large number that continues to grow in overwhelming numbers but there are some tough subjects he won't even touch. That means there is room for others to get into radio. Especially, while talk radio is growing and more avenues are opening up to be heard.

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I came to this country 20years ago from Costa Rico. Found a beautiful American lady, We started a business and employ a lot of people. With this Health Care and Taxes, We will move our business back to Costa Rico. Bye Bye America we will come back every six months to get out of all the SUN.200 hundred employees can go on welfare or Obama Care.I'll also take my Gulf Stream. Thanks Rush. We will listen again.